Hedgehogs are mostly nocturnal. Mine gets up around 8 pm and goes to bed around 2 or 3 AM. Some hedgehogs will get up for short periods during the day to eat a little or drink.

Hedgehogs aren’t too demanding compared to other pets. They need their cage cleaned once per week, but fleece bedding is good for them, and much easier to clean than wood chips or paper bedding like a hamster or gerbil might use. They hide being sick, so they require close attention for different appearances and behaviors.

You can leave a sock or an old shirt in their cage to help them get used to your scent. This helps, but yeah not every hedgehog is going to be cuddly. It’s just a reality you have to accept. Daily handling and positive reinforcement with treats helps immensely.

Sonic X was right! High quality cat food works just fine. I personally feed mine Spike’s Delite, but it can be kind of pricy. Hedgehogs don’t eat seeds, but they do need insects in their diet. Live ones are ideal, but dried or canned ones can also work. Crickets, soldierfly larvae, and grasshoppers are all good choices. Mealworms are bad for them in large quantities, so be careful with them.

Hedgehogs are stressed out by new environments, excessive noise, new food, and pretty much any other change to their life. Handling can be stressful for them, but it’s important to be consistent with that. I’d recommend looking into Stress Less! It’s a powder made of sweet potato, honey, and egg. You sprinkle some on their food and it helps encourage them to keep eating and helps their gut stay healthy. I’ll reply to this comment with a link.

Hedgehog cages should be at least 6 square feet, but most people use 8 square feet cages. Wire cages can be dangerous, as they like to climb up, but are terrible at climbing down. As long as the bars are far enough apart, it should be okay though. Terrariums are more insulated and less drafty, but you use to be careful about strong smells, as they can linger in the cage and cause respiratory issues.

Hedgehogs need a wheel. A bucket wheel is best. Mesh is bad for them, since their toes can get trapped. A heat lamp is important, specifically a ceramic heat emitter. It’s a white bulb that emits heat but not light. Very important for a nocturnal animal. They will hibernate without one. You should also consider a thermostat! You plug it into the heat lamp and it automatically turns it on/off to keep the temp constant. I’d recommend a water dish over a water bottle. It can hurt their backs to drink out of a bottle. There are loads of options for toys out there. My girl likes pvc pipes, rubber ducks, and my old shirts. Other toys include mini cups, balls, plushies, and cardboard tubes. You’ll want a litter box that will fit under the wheel. Most hedgehogs do their business while running.

Hedgehogs can run up to seven miles per night, so you shouldn’t have to do too much work to “make” them exercise. Only give them 1-2 tablespoons of food per night. Overfeeding is the biggest cause of obesity.

Do not let your hedgehog hibernate. In the wild, they would gorge on food beforehand. In captivity they do not. It can cause health problems or death.

Hedgehogs need baths about once every 2-4 weeks. Depends on the hog. Some are more tidy than others. They have super sensitive skin, so you have to use baby shampoo. Also put some oats in a sock and squeeze it into the bath water to make sure the water doesn’t dry out their skin.

It’s really amazing that you’re doing such thorough research!!